Sunday, April 27, 2014

Chomping at the bit!

We had yet another snowfall this week. It wasn't a lot of snow, but it was snow. Little Country Girl made this little snowman while waiting for the school bus that morning.

The temperatures have been cold too and the garden really doesn't have anything growing.

I was able to get all the gardens raked out and edged on a warm day and now I have to wait patiently until things start growing. I did take advantage of a free compost giveaway this weekend. The town offers free compost once a year as a thanks to residents for using their greenbox's.

I will be adding a mix of my compost and this compost to my veggie garden once it dries up. In the meantime, I am gathering things I will need so that when it is dry enough I can get right to work. I even have the fencing now, and just need to get 4 more posts and a gate. Fencing in the veggie patch has been something I have wanted to do since I made it.

The rain barrels were put out last weekend and are already full. While putting them out, I was reminded of a problem that I have been having around the front garden. VOLES!

They leave holes in the garden, and I hold them responsible for the loss of 2 of my Hosta's in the past 2 seasons. The holes are multiplying too, so it's time to do something about it.

I didn't want to put poison out, and I wasn't sure how to trap them without the chance of catching birds. I had heard that little wind decorations scare moles away by making vibrations they don't like. I thought that might work with voles too, so I added this little duck spinner.

It's been spinning very quickly in the winds this week, and still new holes are appearing.

I watched a few videos on YouTube and thought I would try something I saw there.

I bought 2 snap traps and set them up by one of the holes.

Then I covered them up with a container and put a brick on top to hold it in place

This morning when I checked the traps, I discovered I had caught 2 voles!

I reset them and will move them to another hole when I think the hole is empty.

I will leave the little duck spinning out there too.

When a garden center finally opens, I will have to go and buy 2 new Hosta's to replace the ones the voles ate. The shopping is my favorite part!

I did find something exciting happening in my garden this morning ... The Fritillaria Imperialis bulb I planted last year is coming up!

They say these bulbs repel rodents. Maybe I should plant some by the Hosta's to keep the voles away!
This gardener is chomping at the bit! Lets hope the weather improves and things start to grow.